Creeper headrest



H. W. CLARK CREEPER HEADREST Sept. 22, 1953 Filed Sept. 29, 1949 INVENTOR. :0 6 11 h w CLA 9 K ATTOR HEY,

Patented Sept. 22.1953

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a creeper and relates particularly to the head-rest of the creeper. It is an'object of the present invention to provide a creeper having a head-rest which may be elevated relatively to the platform to various positions and which'when so elevated may be moved downwardly upon increased. weight being applied to the head-rest.

Another object of the invention is the provision 15 in a creeper of a head-rest swingably mounted thereon and provided with a spring which will serve to actuate mechanism for elevating the head-rest relatively to the platform upon the spring being placed under tension.

It is another objector the invention toprovide in a creeper having a head-rest'moveable upwardly and downwardly relatively thereto, of a mechanism which is spring actuated and provided with a' mechanism for placing the spring under tension or releasing the spring from'tension as desired.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a head-rest so constructed and arranged that the head-rest will automatically adjust itself upwardly relatively to the supporting platform of the creeper while at the same time upon excessive weight being placed upon the head-rest, the head-rest may move downwardly toward the creeper.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the detail of structure illustrated and the form illustrated in the drawings is to be recognized as but the preferred embodiment.

Forming a part of this specification are drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the invention,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the invention with the head-rest in lowered position,

Fig. 4. is an end elevational view of the invention with the head-rest in elevated position,

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 6-8 of Fig. 3.

As shown in the drawing, the invention comprises a creeper 9 mounted on suitable traction members It] and provided with a head-rest II. This head-rest II is provided with a plate Ila which is connected to the bight M of a support having the oppositely disposed legs I2 each of which has theangularly inturned end it rockably engaging in a knuckle 13a mounted on the underside of the platform 9. Mounted on the plates Ha and extending'longitudinally'thereof beyond opposite ends thereof is a channel member 16 having the leg [5 and the leg l'i, the leg l5 beinglonger than the leg ll and being welded or otherwise suitably secured to the bight it of the support. A bar or arm i8 is provided with the pin or stud i9 projecting outwardly therefrom'and engaging in the channel of the channel member so as to ride'along the inner surface of the shorter-leg ll of the member 45. This bar or arm 18 is pivoted by a pivot pin to intermediate its ends to a bracket 26 which is mounted on the platform. The lower end of the bar or arm 18 is angularly turned as at 2i and projecting outwardly from this end is a stud 18a to 'whichone end of the spring 22 is attached. The opposite end of the spring 22 is attached to an adjusting link 23 which is provided with the eyelet'24 which seats over strut 25 projecting outwardly from one end of the rockably mounted lever 26 which is rockably mounted on the crossbar 21 of the platform by a pivot pin it. Extending outwardly from this cross-bar 2! is an abutment stud 28 which is adapted to engage the lever 26 whenit is rocked into the position shown in Fig. =4-and prevent further rocking of the lever 26 in that direction. Struck outwardly from the bar 2'! is a tongue 29 which is adapted to engage the angularly turned in portion 2! of the bar or arm 18 and limit its rocking movement in one'clirection' which is the direction of rocking from the dotted line position in Fig. i

'tothe full line position shown in Fig. 4-.

Normally the head-rest will be in a floored position as shown in Fig. 3 in which position the bight I4 and the channel arm it which is attached to the plate Ila will rest upon the cros. bar 27 of the platform. When it is desired to elevate the head-rest relatively to the platform, the operator has but to swing the lever 26 from the full line position shown in Fig. 3 to the full line position shown in Fig. 4. When this movement is effected, the spring 22 is placed under tension and the lever 26 moves downwardly to engage the abutment pin 28 so that it cannot rock further, this lever 2t being rocked past center in this movement. Because the spring 22 is placed under tension it has a tendency to rock beyond l8 upwardly into the full line position shown in Fig. 4, thus elevating the headrest relatively to the platform. Consequently, when rocked to the position shown in Fig. 4, the

3 head-rest is held in elevated position by the tension of the spring 22 and any downward movement of the head-rest I l is resisted by this spring 22, this spring 22 normally tending to maintain the head-rest in elevated position. In this way, the operator using the creeper will always have the head-rest under the head so as to support the head and neck regardless of the angular elevation of the upper part of his body relatively to the lower part, so that there is a constant support and rest beneath the head of the operator. At the same time, by additional pressure exerted downwardly, the head-rest may be rocked downwardly against the tension of the spring. This is particularly important in the use of a creeper, inasmuch as it is not uncommon for the support of an automobile under or beneath which the creeper is used, to become dislodged from the jacks or elevating mechanism and fall downward. With the head-rest such as described herein, the operators head would of course be forced downwardly against the tension of the spring 22 and thus an accident which might perhaps be tragic could be avoided. As the arm l8 rocks, the upper end, of course, rides longitudinally in the channel member thus causing the legs l2 to swing on their pivots. Experience has also shown that when elevated into the elevated position, the head-rest may be used as a seat to support the body, and the weight placed upon the head-rest is directed at a certain angle, namely, inwardly.

from the end of the platform instead of outwardly of the end as would be the case when used merely as a head-rest.

What I claim is:

l. A creeper of the class described, comprising: a supporting platform; a head rest positioned above and adjacent one end of said platform; a support connected at one end to said head rest and pivotally connected adjacent its opposite end to said platform for swinging upwardly and downwardly away from and toward said platform; an arm rockably mounted intermediate its ends on said platform and rockable upwardly and downwardly thereof and engageable at one of its ends with said support for, upon rocking movement, swinging said support upwardly and downwardly of the platform; a swingable lever mounted pivotally intermediate its ends on said platform; a spring connected at one of its ends to said arm adjacent one end and at its opposite end to said lever adjacent one end for, when under tension, tending to swing said arm upwardly of said platform, said lever being rockable into one position for increasing the tension of said spring and rockable into another position for releasing the tension of said spring.

2. A creeper of the class described, comprising: a supporting platform; a head rest positioned above and adjacent one end of said platform; a support connected to said head rest and pivotally mounted on said platform for swin ing upwardly and downwardly thereof; an arm pivotally mounted between its ends on said platform, one end of said arm being swingable upwardly and downwardly of said platform and in engagement with said support for swinging said support upwardly and downwardly of said platform; a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said platform; a spring connected at one of its ends to the opposite end of said arm and to one end of said lever, said spring being under tension upon rocking of said lever in one direction and being released from tension upon rocking of said lever in the other direction.

3. A creeper of the class described, comprising: a supporting platform; a head rest positioned above and adjacent one end of said platform; a support connected to said head rest and pivotally mounted on said platform for swinging upwardly and downwardly thereof; an arm pivotally mounted between its ends on said platform, one end of said arm being swinga-ble upwardly and downwardly of said platform and in engagement with said support for swinging said support upwardly and downwardly of said platform; a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said platform; a spring connected at one of its ends to the opposite end of said arm and at its opposite end to one end of said lever, the connection of said spring to said lever, upon rocking of said lever in one direction, extending beyond the point of pivot of said lever and upon rocking of said lever in the other direction lying on the opposite side of the point of pivot of said lever.

HUGH W. CLARK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 792,798 Sowle June 20, 1905 888,303 Bowers et al May 19, 1908 1,184,487 Peterson May 23, 1916 1,193,354; Brown Aug. 1, 1916 1,298,381 Pace Mar. 25, 1919 1,386,789 Luppino Aug. 9, 1921 1,581,592 Neal Apr. 20, 1926 2,054,598 Goldenberg Sept. 15, 1936 

